Science & Nature Books

Book Synopsis'A gripping exploration of one of the most fundamental, but also perplexing aspects of existence.' PROF. LEWIS DARTNELL, author of Origins'Such an enjoyable read...full of delightful nuggets that you will want to impress your friends and family with.' PROF. JIM AL-KHALILI, NYT bestselling author of The World According to Physics'This is a lovely, fascinating book. It blends history, geology, chemistry, philosophy and, of course, physics in a way that's delightful to read.' - ABIGAIL BEALL, author of The Art of Urban Astronomy--------Discover the secrets of one of the biggest puzzles in our history - Time. As a subject, it has perplexed and fascinated generations of scientists, historians and more, and continues to spark the most intriguing questions being asked in science today. Can time be stopped? Is time travel possible? Does time even exist...? In these ten bite-sized essays, Colin Stuart delves into these big questions and uncovers the most awe-inspiring and revealing things we should all know about time. Perfect for readers of Carlo Rovelli and anyone fascinated by space and the universe, this is a must-read for those short on time, but not curiosity.Trade ReviewA gripping exploration of one of the most fundamental, but also perplexing aspects of existence. * Professor Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins *This little book was full of delightful nuggets about the nature of time that you will want to impress your friends and family with...such an enjoyable read, I got through it in one sitting. * Professor Jim Al-Khalili, NYT bestselling author of 'The World According to Physics' *This is a lovely, fascinating book. It blends history, geology, chemistry, philosophy and, of course, physics in a way that's delightful to read * Abigail Beall, author of 'The Art of Urban Astronomy' *

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Book SynopsisPlease note this title is suitable for any student studying: Exam Board: AQA Level: A Level Subject: Biology First teaching: September 2015; first exams: June 2017 Oxford Revise is a fresh, evidence-based approach to studying; created by the teacher-trusted Oxford Science author team and informed by the latest research into the best ways to make learning stick, it organises content in the most effective way for successful learning, ideal for independent study throughout the school year and in the lead-up to exams. Based on principles of cognitive science, the simple three-step Knowledge, Retrieval, and Practice approach helps students to organise information and commit it to long-term memory, improve retention and recall, and apply knowledge successfully with extensive exam-style practice. It''s everything students need to study effectively and fully prepare for their exams, in one convenient book. Each paperback purchased includes free access to an ebook version of the title. Details

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Book Synopsis'Clear and compact ... It's hard to fault as a brief, easily digestible introduction to some of the biggest questions in the Universe' Giles Sparrow, BBC Four's The Sky at Night, Best astronomy and space books of 2019: 5/5All the matter and light we can see in the universe makes up a trivial 5 per cent of everything. The rest is hidden. This could be the biggest puzzle that science has ever faced.Since the 1970s, astronomers have been aware that galaxies have far too little matter in them to account for the way they spin around: they should fly apart, but something concealed holds them together. That 'something' is dark matter - invisible material in five times the quantity of the familiar stuff of stars and planets.By the 1990s we also knew that the expansion of the universe was accelerating. Something, named dark energy, is pushing it to expand faster and faster. Across the universe, this requires enough energy that the equivalent mass would be nearly fourteen times greater than all the visible material in existence.Brian Clegg explains this major conundrum in modern science and looks at how scientists are beginning to find solutions to it.Trade ReviewClear and compact ... It's hard to fault as a brief, easily digestible introduction to some of the biggest questions in the Universe -- Giles Sparrow, BBC Sky at Night * Best astronomy and space books of 2019: 5/5 *

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Book SynopsisLearn about quantum physics, cloning, exoplanets, the number 137 and all of modern science's biggest questions through the crazy adventures of Rick and Morty, the international Netflix success, now airing on Channel 4.What is concentrated Dark Matter?Can we hack memory?Are you living in a simulation operating at 5% capacity?Rick and Morty may seem like the most idiotic show on TV today, but a lot of its crazy adventures are actually based on real-life scientific theories and cutting-edge academic research.Using the biology, chemistry and physics of the series, expert science writer Matt Brady explains the biggest questions occupying the greatest minds today, including: can we have cool cybernetic implants, will we ever be able to alter our basic intelligence, how far will we be able to go with cloning, could we travel to parallel universes, what energy could you get from a microverse battery and can you control a cockroach's nervous system with your tongue?So, become more Rick and less Morty with this wander through the portal of modern-day science. Or just go back to laughing at the stupid jokes.

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Book SynopsisFor all the selfishness of genes, they team up to survive. Is the history of life in fact a story of cooperation?Amid the violence and brutality that dominates the news, it''s hard to think of ourselves as team players. But cooperation, Jonathan Silvertown argues, is a fundamental part of our make-up, and deeply woven into the whole four-billion-year history of life. Starting with human society, Silvertown digs deeper, to show how cooperation is key to the cells forming our organs, to symbiosis between organisms, to genes that band together, to the dawn of life itself. Cooperation has enabled life to thrive and become complex. Without it, life would never have begun.

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Book SynopsisThe most up-to-date and complete history and analysis of sea serpents. It brings a modern naturalist's eye to the most famous case histories and proposes new and radical explanations.

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Book SynopsisA timely and important perspective on how people frame decisions and how relying on sacred values unwittingly leads to social polarization.When you are faced with a decision, do you consider the best outcome, or do you consider your deepest values about which actions are appropriate? The Cost of Conviction contrasts these two primary strategies for making decisions: consequentialism, the former, or prioritizing one?s sacred values, the latter. Steven Sloman argues that, while both modes of decision making are necessary tools for a good decision maker, people err by deploying sacred values more often than they should, especially when it comes to sociopolitical issues. As a result, we oversimplify, grow disgusted and angry, and act in ways that contribute to social polarization. In this book, Sloman provides a new understanding of today?s societal ills and grounds that understanding in science.The book begins by covering the philosophical and conceptual background of the two decision-making strategies, then takes a deep dive into the psychology of decision making. Drawing on historical and current examples of the use of the two strategies, the author provides a thorough overview of the psychology of decision making, including work on judgment, conscious and unconscious decision-making processes, the roles of emotion, and even an analysis of habit and addiction.With its unique emphasis on sacred values, The Cost of Conviction is an eye-opening must-read for all decision makers, especially those who wish to understand judgment, social decision making, and leadership.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Whitley Award for Best Natural History Book 2022A compelling, funny, first-hand account of Australia''s wonderfully unique mammals and how our perceptions impact their future. Think of a platypus: they lay eggs (that hatch into so-called platypups), they produce milk without nipples and venom without fangs and they can detect electricity. Or a wombat: their teeth never stop growing, they poo cubes and they defend themselves with reinforced rears. Platypuses, possums, wombats, echidnas, devils, kangaroos, quolls, dibblers, dunnarts, kowaris: Australia has some truly astonishing mammals with incredible, unfamiliar features. But how does the world regard these creatures? And what does that mean for their conservation?In Platypus Matters, naturalist Jack Ashby shares his love for these often-misunderstood animals. Informed by his own experiences meeting living marsupials and egg-laying mammals on fieldwork in Tasmania and mainland Australia, as well as his work with thousandsTrade Review‘Charming, informative … a marvellous read’ Tim Flannery, New York Review of Books ‘Ashby reveals marvellous creatures, and the mysteries and myths surrounding them’ BBC Wildlife magazine ‘Ashby’s spirited tour of the Australian bestiary is a revelation to readers unfamiliar with the intricacies of platypus biology, and unacquainted with nabarleks, dunnarts and other indigenous Australian fauna.’ Natural History ‘Building on his considerable scientific knowledge and decades of field experience, Ashby immerses readers in all things platypus … A must-read for any mammal nerd or Aussie wildlife enthusiast.’ Nature Conservancy's Cool Green Science ‘An engaging natural (and enraging colonial) history’ Washington Independent Review of Books ‘From platypuses and possums, through wombats, echidnas, devils and kangaroos, to quolls, dibblers, dunnarts and kowaris, Ashby knows them all; and he guides his readers on a tour of their lives, their evolutionary stories and the challenges they face in the modern world.’ The Well-read Naturalist ‘Fascinating … This is wonderfully dorky stuff … A persistently, defiantly upbeat book, downright infused with Ashby’s scientific exuberance’ Open Letters Review ‘Keen to overturn the warped, colonial perception that monotremes (e.g. platypuses and echidnas) and marsupials are more primitive than other mammal species, the zoologist author who runs Cambridge's Natural History Museum takes us on a tour of the fauna of Australia in all their glory …Engaging and entertaining’ Bookseller ‘This is a compelling, funny, firsthand account of our wonderfully unique mammals and how our perceptions of them impact their future.’ Australian Geographic ‘Ashby has an infectious enthusiasm for Aussie marsupials and monotremes’ West Australian ‘Written in a lively, conversational style and drawing on decades of fieldwork, this is a beguiling portrait of our unique fauna.’ Sydney Morning Herald

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Book SynopsisVilayanur S. Ramachandran is widely held to be the most exciting neuroscientist alive. Director of the Centre for the Brain at the University of California, San Diego, he has received many honours and awards. His previous book, the critically acclaimed Phantoms in the Brain, was the basis for a Channel Four TV series.Trade ReviewRamachandran is a latter-day Marco Polo -- Richard DawkinsA profoundly intriguing and compelling guide to the intricacies of the human brain. -- Oliver SachsExcellent ... I cannot imagine a better account of the sweep of contemporary neuroscience * Financial Times *A leader in his field and an ingenious and tireless researcher. This is the best book of its kind that I have come across * New York Review of Books *A masterpiece. The best of its kind and beautifully crafted. -- Allan Snyder, FRS, Director of the Centre for the Mind

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Book SynopsisCharles Darwin's seminal formulation of the theory of Evolution, On the Origin of Species continues to be as controversial today as when it was first published. Written for a general readership, On the Origin of Species sold out on the day of its publication and has remained in print ever since. Instantly and persistently controversial, the concept of natural selection transformed scientific analysis about all life on Earth. Before the Origin of Species, accepted thinking held that life was the static and perfect creation of God. By a single, systematic argument Darwin called this view into question. His ideas have affected public perception of everything from religion to economics. William Bynum's introduction discusses Darwin's life, the publication and reception of the themes of On the Origin of Species, and the subsequent development of its major themes. The new edition also includes brief biographies of some of the most impo

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Book Synopsis***30th Anniversary Edition***Acclaimed as the most influential work on evolution written in the last hundred years, The Blind Watchmaker offers an inspiring and accessible introduction to one of the most important scientific discoveries of all time. A brilliant and controversial book which demonstrates that evolution by natural selection - the unconscious, automatic, blind yet essentially non-random process discovered by Darwin - is the only answer to the biggest question of all: why do we exist?Trade ReviewRichard Dawkins has updated evolution ... His subject is nothing less than the meaning of life, and he attacks it with the evangelical fervour of a clergyman and the mind of a scientist * The Times *Beautiful ... he seizes happy analogies, bright metaphors and shining images to light up his passion and our darkness * Guardian *Good writing, tight argument and unpulled punches ... a satisfying book * Economist *One of the best science books - one of the best of any books - I have ever read * Los Angeles Times *

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Book Synopsis''Required reading for anyone remotely curious about how they came to be remotely curious'' Observer''Enthralling'' Spectator What is human consciousness and how is it possible? These questions fascinate thinking people from poets and painters to physicists, psychologists, and philosophers. This is Daniel C. Dennett''s brilliant answer, extending perspectives from his earlier work in surprising directions, exploring the deep interactions of evolution, brains and human culture. Part philosophical whodunnit, part bold scientific conjecture, this landmark work enlarges themes that have sustained Dennett''s career at the forefront of philosophical thought. In his inimitable style, laced with wit and thought experiments, Dennett shows how culture enables reflection by installing a profusion of thinking tools, or memes, in our brains, and how language turbocharges this process. The result: a mind that can comprehend the questions itTrade ReviewIntelligence, insight and flair ... They don't come much bigger than Daniel Dennett -- Julian Baggini * Guardian *Lucid ... A brave and bracing book ... There should be more like it * The Times *Required reading for anyone remotely curious about how they came to be remotely curious * Observer *A lively and cogent account of how human beings, uniquely among species, have evolved to possess a conscious mind ... An excellent exploration of the concept of cultural evolution, and the origins and consequences of human creativity * Sunday Times *Beguiling and enthralling * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisTHE TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''Bristles with pure, crystalline intelligence, deep knowledge and human sympathy'' Richard Dawkins Is modernity really failing? Or have we failed to appreciate progress and the ideals that make it possible?If you follow the headlines, the world in the 21st century appears to be sinking into chaos, hatred, and irrationality. Yet Steven Pinker shows that this is an illusion - a symptom of historical amnesia and statistical fallacies. If you follow the trendlines rather than the headlines, you discover that our lives have become longer, healthier, safer, happier, more peaceful, more stimulating and more prosperous - not just in the West, but worldwide. Such progress is no accident: it''s the gift of a coherent and inspiring value system that many of us embrace without even realizing it. These are the values of the Enlightenment: of reason, science, humanism and progress.The challTrade ReviewMy new favourite book of all time -- Bill GatesExhilarating, magnificent, uplifting * Economist *This is the biggest story of our time. It's about the many ways in which the world is improving, and why we don't believe it -- Fraser Nelson * Spectator *Pinker is right. Not just a bit right, but completely, utterly, incontrovertibly right ... for most people, life is better, even if they don't realise it -- Dominic Sandbrook * Daily Mail *Awesome. The confidence with which Pinker tears through the issues that cause such deep anxiety today is compelling -- William Davies * Guardian *A characteristically fluent, decisive and data-rich demonstration of why, given the chance to live at any point in human history, only a stone-cold idiot would choose any time other than the present -- Sam Leith * Spectator *A new, optimistic view of the world ... Things are not as bad as your Facebook news feed makes them seem ... a cheerful, contrarian tract for dark times -- Niall Ferguson * Sunday Times *A goldmine of startling graphs and killer facts about the way we live now. Everyone should read this book and, just for once, be enthralled by what humankind has achieved -- Iain Macwhirter * Herald *Brimming with surprising data and entertaining anecdotes ... a genuinely enlightening book -- Jan-Werner Müller * Financial Times *Today we are living healthier, wealthier lives - and it's thanks to the values of the Enlightenment ... a passionate book in praise of Enlightenment values -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *In Enlightenment Now, Steven Pinker extols the amazing achievements of modernity, and demonstrates that humankind has never been so peaceful, healthy and prosperous. There is of course much to argue about, but that's what makes this book so interesting. -- Yuval Noah HarariA salutary reminder of the material progress modern science and commerce have delivered * The New York Times *Words can hardly do justice to the superlative range and liveliness of Pinker's investigations * Independent *Pinker is a paragon of exactly the kind of intellectual honesty and courage we need -- David Brooks * The New York Times *If 2017 was a rough year for you, look no further than Steven Pinker's engaging new book, Enlightenment Now, to cheer you up. Conceived before Donald Trump even announced his candidacy, it could not have been better timed to clarify - and, for some, refute - the habits of mind that brought Trump and the GOP to power ... Pinker's gift is to challenge us not only to update the Enlightenment, but to think beyond it * Washington Post *A valuable book ... Enlightenment Now can hardly be bettered * Boston Globe *Persuasive... Pinker's book focuses on the Enlightenment as a philosophical perspective, as a distinctive way of looking at the position of individuals within modern society. Enlightenment Now is a spirited defence of the enduring ideals of this tradition * Times Higher Education *A careful and deeply researched piece of work ... Pinker is bravely prepared to be the bearer of good news * Guardian *The most uplifting work of science I've ever read * Science *A highly topical and much-needed book * New Statesman *Pinker is ahead of his critics... [he] is in no way complacent. To accuse him of smugly sipping cocktails at the End of History café is simply to ignore his repeated calls to work for the better future that is there for the taking, but also for the losing -- Julian Baggini * Literary Review *In his new book, Enlightenment Now, cognitive scientist Steven Pinker makes a more convincing case for the sciences benefiting the arts * New Scientist *An excellent book, lucidly written, timely, rich in data and eloquent in its championing of a rational humanism that is - it turns out - really quite cool. * New York Times Book Review *It's easy to feel dour about the future of mankind. But constant, widespread doomsday prophecies are not going to help - it's only going to make matters worse. If every doomsday scenario feels possible, then people are actually disincentivized to take action, says Steven Pinker ... Things like nuclear war and climate change can, with careful and diligent work, be mitigated * CNBC *Pinker has a coherent theory of progress. * Washington Post *Shock therapy for pessimists. * Seattle Times *[Steven Pinker has] become a deep and important critic of the visceral hostility to nature and science now so sadly prevalent on the left and right, a defender of reason and the Enlightenment against the 'social justice' movements on campus, and his new book is a near-relentless defense of modernity. * New York Magazine *[ENLIGHTENMENT NOW] proves that much of the handwringing and doom-saying promulgated in the popular press, academia, and politics can't be justified on the facts. . . it's both a manifesto of ideas that [Bill] Gates himself has espoused through the years, as well as a paean to individuals, like Gates, who have committed their time and money to changing the world for the better. * Inc. *A forceful defense of the democratic, humanist institutions that [Pinker] says brought about these changes, and a declaration that reason, science and humanism can solve the problems to come. * Atlanta Journal-Constitution *Vindication has arrived in the form of Steven Pinker's latest book. ENLIGHTENMENT NOW: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress is remarkable, heart-warming, and long overdue. * Christian Science Monitor *Pinker offers numbers to show that the world has, on the whole, become safer, healthier and wealthier. These benefits are more pronounced in the West, but even in developing countries conditions have improved ... His optimism is resilient * The New York Times *Extremely hopeful... Steven Pinker argues that people are happier, healthier, wealthier, and safer than they've ever been ... we're living in the best moments humans have experienced yet * Business Insider *Pinker is a deep and important critic of the visceral hostility to nature and science now so sadly prevalent on the left and right, a defender of reason and the Enlightenment ... Pinker is right -- Andrew Sullivan * New York Magazine *An erudite defence * Salon *Modern life has gotten much better despite ever-present complaints. Technology has reduced the need for physical labor. Mortality rates are down. IQ scores are on the rise. Wars are less frequent and less deadly ... the Enlightenment's championing of reason, science, humanism and moral progress is a model for our own times * Washington Post *Pinker is right ... Much good news today tends to be underreported, even unreported. Human beings today lead longer, safer, healthier, wealthier and indeed happier lives than at any point in recorded history ... Pinker surveys the stupendous advancements that the human race has made in modern times according to a dizzying range of metrics * Nation *An engaging, compelling set of reasons to be cheerful ... it is a welcome antidote * Nature *The world is better than ever before. And Steven Pinker can prove it. * Vox *A substantial and wide-ranging book on the state of our world today ... In forensic detail, Pinker enumerates the myriad ways in which life is getting better ... The book is packed with statistics vaunting the gifts of progress * Irish Times *After devouring all 453 pages and 75 graphs of psychologist Steven Pinker's Enlightenment Now, I admit defeat. The defeat of defeatism. This man has done the math. Since the 18th century things have been getting better in pretty much every dimension of human wellbeing. * Big Think *Steven Pinker has a cure for your despair ... life is better than it has ever been. Pinker's case is compelling * Prospect *Useful and exciting ... Pinker doesn't declaim, he demonstrates - with dozens of graphs and charts - that humankind has spent two centuries winning the battle against entropy in all fields: from health to peace, the environment to democracy, wealth to happiness, to equality between men and women. He asks us crucial questions ... Steven Pinker is right * El Mundo (Spain) *Enlightenment Now seeks to undo, with facts and figures, the pessimism that has paralysed the world ... We must read this book and absorb its message * El Pais (Colombia) *Guys, it's really not that bad. In fact, it's the best it's ever been ... Pinker urges people to look at the bigger picture and dive into the data * New York Post *Things are not as bad as your Facebook news feed makes them seem ... a cheerful, contrarian tract for dark times -- Niall Ferguson * Boston Globe *Compelling ... At a moment when liberal Enlightenment values are under attack, from the right and the left, this is a very important contribution ... An impressive and useful accomplishment * Atlantic *

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Book Synopsis''Packed with practical examples and insightful wisdom. . . A highly enjoyable and effective guide to better thinking'' Sabine Hossenfelder''I wish David Sumpter had been my maths teacher. I hated the subject at school. I hoover up his books now'' Sunday Times Acclaimed mathematician David Sumpter shows how we can deal with the chaos and complexity of our livesWhat is the best way to think about the world? How often do we consider how our own thinking might impact the way we approach our daily decisions? Could it help or hinder our relationships, our careers, or even our health?Thinking about thinking is something we rarely do, yet it is something science questions all the time. David Sumpter has spent decades studying what we could all learn from the mindsets of scientists, and Four Ways of Thinking is the result. Here he reveals the four easily applied approaches to our problems: statistical, interactive, chaotic and complex.Combining engaging personal experience with practical advice and inspiring tales of ground-breaking scientific pioneers (with a tiny bit of number crunching along the way), Sumpter explains how these tried and tested methods can help us with every conundrum, from how to bicker less with our partners to pitching to a tough crowd - and in doing so change our lives.

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Book SynopsisPlease note this title is suitable for any student studying:Exam Board: AQALevel: AS/A LevelSubject: BiologyFirst teaching: September 2015First exams: June 2017Fully revised and updated for the linear qualification, written and checked by curriculum and specification experts, this Student Book supports and extends students through the course whilst delivering the maths, practical and synoptic skills needed to succeed at A Level and beyond. The book uses clear straightforward explanations to develop true subject knowledge and allow students to link ideas together while developing essential exam skills.Trade Review"If I had to write the perfect A Level Biology textbook - then this would be it! This is exactly what I want in a textbook, laid out in the right way, delivered in the right way. Love it" * Amanda Fletcher-Woods, Head of Biology, Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham *"Great product. Very useful and good price." * Amazon review, Sept 2015 *"Some textbooks are really hard to understand, as they are written exclusively in the longest words that you could find in a thesaurus. However, this textbook is perfect. The information is comprehensive and easy to understand." * Amazon review, Oct 2015 *Table of Contents1 Biological molecules 1.1: Introduction to biological molecules 1.2: Carbohydrates and monosacharides 1.3: Carbohydrates - disaccharides and polysaccharides 1.4: Starch, glycogen and cellulose 1.5: Lipids 1.6: Proteins 1.7: Enzyme action 1.8: Factors affecting enzyme action 1.9: Enzyme inhibition 2 Nucleic acids 2.1: Structure of RNA and DNA 2.2: DNA replication 2.3: Energy and ATP 2.4: Water and its functions 3 Cell structure 3.1: Methods of studying cells 3.2: The electron microscope 3.3: Microscopic measurements and calculations 3.4: Eukaryotic cell structure 3.5: Cell specialisation and organisation 3.6: Prokaryotic cells and viruses 3.7: Mitosis 3.8: The cell cycle 4 Transport across cell membranes 4.1: Structure of the cell surface membrane 4.2: Diffusion 4.3: Osmosis 4.4: Active transport 4.5: Co-transport and absorption of glucose in the ileum 5 Cell recognition and the immune system 5.1: Defence mechanisms 5.2: Phagocytosis 5.3: T Lymphocytes and cell mediated immunity 5.4: B Lymphocytes and humoral immunity 5.5: Antibodies 5.6: Vaccination 5.7: Human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] 6 Exchange 6.1: Exchange between organisms and their environment 6.2: Gas exchange in single-celled organisms and insects 6.3: Gas exchange in fish 6.4: Gas exchange in the leaf of a plant 6.5: Limiting water loss 6.6: Structure of the human gas-exchange system 6.7: The mechanism of breathing 6.8: Exchange of gases in the lungs 6.9: Enzymes and digestion 6.10: Absorption of the products of digestion 7 Mass transport 7.1: Haemoglobin 7.2: Transport of oxygen by haemoglobin 7.3: Circulatory system of a mammal 7.4: The structure of the heart 7.5: The cardiac cycle 7.6: Blood vessels and their functions 7.7: Transport of water in the xylem 7.8: Transport of organic molecules in the phloem 7.9: Investigating transport in plants 8 DNA, genes and proten synthesis 8.1: Genes and the triplet code 8.2: DNA and chromosomes 8.3: The structure of ribonucleic acid 8.4: Protein synthesis - transcription and splicing 8.5: Protein synthesis - translation 9 Genetic diversity 9.1: Mutations 9.2: Meiosis and genetic variation 9.3: Genetic diversity and adaptation 9.4: Types of selection 10 Biodiversity 1.1: Species and taxanomy 1.2: Diversity within a community 1.3: Species diversity and human activity 1.4: Investigating diversity 1.5: Quantitative investigations of variations Skills in A Level Biology Mathematical skills Practical skills

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Book SynopsisPlease note this title is suitable for any student studying:Exam Board: OCR Level: A Level Year 2Subject: BiologyFirst teaching: September 2015 First exams: June 2017Written by curriculum and specification experts in partnership with OCR, this Student Book supports and extends students throughout their course while delivering the breadth, depth, and skills needed to succeed at A Level and beyond. It develops real subject knowledge as well as essential exam skills. This Student Book covers the second year of content required for the OCR Biology A specification.

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Book SynopsisAstrophysics is the physics of the stars, and more widely the physics of the Universe. It enables us to understand the structure and evolution of planetary systems, stars, galaxies, interstellar gas, and the cosmos as a whole. In this Very Short Introduction, the leading astrophysicist James Binney shows how the field of astrophysics has expanded rapidly in the past century, with vast quantities of data gathered by telescopes exploiting all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, combined with the rapid advance of computing power, which has allowed increasingly effective mathematical modelling. He illustrates how the application of fundamental principles of physics - the consideration of energy and mass, and momentum - and the two pillars of relativity and quantum mechanics, has provided insights into phenomena ranging from rapidly spinning millisecond pulsars to the collision of giant spiral galaxies. This is a clear, rigorous introduction to astrophysics for those keen to cut their teeth on a conceptual treatment involving some mathematics.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readableTrade Reviewan enjoyably easy read, and a long way from being a stodgy textbook - I mean, what textbook would tell you the Galaxy contains 'zillions of dark-matter particles'? * Andrew May, Popular Science *Table of ContentsFURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisThis book focuses on one of the oldest and most fundamental questions in both physics and philosophy: the nature of time. It presents original theoretical physics research on the ''problem of time'' in modern physics, in parallel with a new philosophical framework for the analysis of symmetry and evolution in physical theory, as well as new work on the early modern precursors to the problem of time. Contrary to the standard wisdom, this book argues that a substantive notion of time can, and should, be retained within a consistent formalism for modern physical theory. The book marshals an array of philosophical and formal tools to justify this claim and analyses its physical implications. This book is the first of a two-volume project articulating a new approach to the analysis of time in modern physical theory. The second volume will extend and apply this approach in the context of classical and quantum gravity including quantum cosmological models.Table of Contents1: Introduction PART I - NATURAL PHILOSOPHY OF TIME 2: On Newton On Time 3: On Leibniz On Time 4: On Mach On Time PART II - SYMMETRY AND STRUCTURE 5: Structure and Possibility 6: Conservation and Geometry 7: Irregular Nomic Structure 8: Diagnosing Dynamical Redundancy 9: The New Framework PART III - THE PROBLEM OF TIME IN CLASSICAL MECHANICS 10: Spatiotemporal Structure and Theory Rearticulation 11: Local Temporal Symmetry 12: Reparametrization Invariant Dynamics 13: Temporal Structure Regained 14: Conclusion and Prospectus

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Book Synopsis''Thrilling'' Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall''Authoritative and furious, urgent and persuasive'' Sunday Times''Compelling ... Roberts is that precious pearl: a practising scientist who not only knows his field inside out, but also understands how to write'' Guardian Oceans are the most mysterious places on earth. Their depths remain largely unexplored, yet ninety-five percent of the planet''s habitable space lies within them. And now the life they support is in the balance.Callum Roberts uses his lifetime''s experience working with the oceans to take us on a panoramic tour beneath the seas, exploring the richness of life in the deep and how it has altered over the centuries. He shows the catastrophic impact of humanity on the oceans, but also how we can restore them to life.''For anyone who loves the sea, Ocean of Life is a wake-up call, an urgent alert'' Daily Mail''At the heart of this book is a deep loTrade ReviewThose of us who worry about the future of our oceans could do a lot worse than take up this single refrain, "Listen to Callum Roberts!". Shouted in the ears of the world's leaders, it might just make a difference. Meanwhile we should all read Ocean of Life, a thrilling narrative of oceanic natural history and a vital call to action -- Hugh Fearnley-WhittingstallAuthoritative and furious ... a grand survey ... impossible to ignore ... Ocean of Life is the sort of book that inspires you to get in touch with your MP. It is elegantly written, at times overwhelming and depressing, but generally urgent and persuasive. Informed citizens of our watery planet should read it -- Brian Schofield * Sunday Times *At the heart of this book is a deep love of the ocean and a profound concern for its viability as a resource for us all ... A story told with both scientific accuracy and narrative skill ... Roberts's clear, well-written accounts give us access to vast amounts of scientific information ... each chapter is edged with fascinating details about the life of the sea -- Stephen R Palumbi * Nature *The urgency of Callum Roberts' message - that we have very little time to save the oceanic environment on which our existence depends - is in no way undermined by the entertaining and brilliantly-written nature of his writing. This is simply a fascinating book, taking in everything from the elemental formations of the oceans to the denizens that inhabit them; from minute plankton to the great whales - and everything that threatens them, and us. Roberts imparts his vast knowledge with a consummate talent for colourful narrative and devastating facts. His book will be required reading for anyone who cares about the oceans - not least because, as well as underlining the scale of the problems, he offers us the hope of real solutions -- Philip Hoare, author of 'Leviathan or, The Whale'Ocean of Life is an excellent and engrossing work. Mr. Roberts, a British professor of marine conservation, has corralled an astonishing collection of scientific discovery ... I hope a great many people-particularly those in that undecided middle-read this book -- G. Bruce Knecht * Wall Street Journal *Callum Roberts has done it again. From showing us the past with the wisdom of a Dickens character in his earlier book, he now leads us toward the future in The Ocean of Life. It's a book so fine, I wish I'd written it! -- Carl Safina, author of 'Song for the Blue Ocean' and 'The View From Lazy Point' * - *An engrossing survey of the relationship between man and the sea for readers living through the greatest environmental changes in 65 million years ... Roberts's meditation will have readers gasping aloud with wonder, even as the sobering truth of humans' profound interdependence with the sea provokes concern -- Starred review * Publisher's Weekly *An impressive history of the oceans ... one of this book's strengths is the many solutions Roberts outlines to reverse the dismal state of the seas -- Pilita Clark * Financial Times *There is a dearth of good and comprehensive books on a subject that can seem too complicated and depressing for any single tome. Callum Roberts has now provided one ... there is no quibbling with the evidence of marine horrors that Mr Roberts presents * The Economist *It's probably a bit too soon to start talking about candidates for books of the year. But Callum Roberts' latest offering should already be considered a strong contender. Roberts is that precious pearl: a practising scientist who not only knows his field inside out, but also understands how to write compelling, persuasive non-fiction -- Leo Hickman * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisHelp your students catch up, keep up and make expected progress in their GCSE (9-1) studies with this new series of intervention workbooks.

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Book SynopsisThe two towering achievements of modern physics are quantum theory and Einstein''s general theory of relativity. Together, they explain virtually everything about the world we live in. But, almost a century after their advent, most people haven''t the slightest clue what either is about.Did you know that there''s so much empty space inside matter that the entire human race could be squeezed into the volume of a sugar cube? Or that you grow old more quickly on the top floor of a building than on the ground floor? And did you realize that 1% of the static on a TV tuned between stations is the relic of the Big Bang? Marcus Chown, the bestselling author of What A Wonderful World and the Solar System app, explains all with characteristic wit, colour and clarity, from the Big Bang and Einstein''s general theory of relativity to probability, gravity and quantum theory. ''Chown discusses special and general relativity, probablity waves, quantum entang

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Book SynopsisWritten by leading Leonardo experts from London and Florence, and accompanying a major British Library exhibition, this fascinating new book reveals the central importance of motion in Leonardo's art and thought.

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Book SynopsisThis personal account charts our understanding of the strong interactions in particle physics - culminating with the author's discovery of quarks, real particles living in a deeper layer of reality. Science buffs, students, and experts alike will find much here to pique their interest and learn along the way.

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Book SynopsisThis textbook on chemical oceanography presents a broad introduction to this most interdisciplinary of the ocean sciences. Appropriate for undergraduate and graduate students, it demonstrates how ocean chemical distributions are used to determine physical, biological, and geological fluxes and humanity's growing influence on natural processes.Trade Review'Chemical Oceanography: Element Fluxes in the Sea is completely updated from the previous version. The new version cites up-to-date, peer-reviewed literature, and includes compelling figures, discussion boxes, and problems at the end of each chapter. In addition, the links to MATLAB and Python toolboxes are a great resource. In my opinion, this is the best chemical oceanography textbook currently available for both undergraduate and graduate level courses.' Annie Bourbonnais, University of South Carolina'The choice of contents for a Chemical Oceanography textbook is, to some extent, a Rorschach test of the authors' view of the field. In their focus on element fluxes affected by life in the oceans, Emerson and Hamme seek to navigate the narrow channel between attention to detail, a hallmark of quantitative ocean science, and the desire to share the fabulous panorama that is the field as a whole.' Andrew Dickson, Scripps Institution of Oceanography'In their outstanding and exceptionally well-structured textbook, Emerson and Hamme transform the way we think about chemical oceanography. While the distribution of chemical tracers in the ocean still provides the foundation of their textbook, they organize it around the biogeochemical transformations that govern these distributions. A particular focus is the question of how fast these processes operate and how we can measure these rates. To this end, they introduce many modern techniques involving various isotope systems and transient tracers in a way no other textbook has achieved so far. This is a must read for any student, postdoc, and researcher in the field, especially in these rapidly changing times.' Nicolas Gruber, ETH Zürich'A readable, comprehensive, authoritative account, by two distinguished chemical oceanographers, of what we know about chemical processes in the oceans, and how we have learned it. The book features deep descriptions of the oceanic cycles of oxygen, nitrogen, and especially carbon. Chemical Oceanography will be valuable to Earth scientists as a guide to topics in chemical oceanography, to specialists as a source of detailed information, and to students as a textbook chock full of stimulating problems and provocative topics for discussion.' Michael Bender, Princeton University'This new book is a comprehensive and modern treatment of a broad range of marine chemistry topics. The thoughtful, well-written text and clear illustrations are a valuable resource for professors, and provide a strong foundation in the subject for advanced undergraduate and graduate students.' Abigail Renegar, Nova Southeastern UniversityTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Oceanography background: dissolved chemicals, circulation and biology in the sea; 2. Geochemical mass balance: chemical flow across the ocean's boundaries, 3. Life in the surface ocean: biological production and export; 4. Life in the deep ocean: biological respiration; 5. Marine carbonate chemistry; 6. Stable isotope tracers; 7. Radioisotope tracers; 8. The role of the ocean in the global carbon cycle; Appendices; Index.

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Book SynopsisReach for the stars Stargazing is the practice of observing the night sky and its contents - from constellations through to planets and galaxies. Stars and other night sky objects can be seen with the naked eye, or seen in greater numbers and in more detail with binoculars or a telescope.Trade ReviewIn my opinion Stargazing for Dummies should be treated as an essential handbook by anyone interested in the night sky and kept very close to your window, (BBC Sky At Night Magazine, June 2013)Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part I: What’s Up? Getting Familiar with the Night Sky 7 Chapter 1: The Changing Sky 9 Chapter 2: Look Up! Your First Stargazing Trip 23 Chapter 3: Binocular Astronomy 39 Chapter 4: Your First Telescope 57 Chapter 5: Taking It Further: Astrophotography 81 Part II: Joining the Dots: Learning Your Way Around the Night Sky 91 Chapter 6: The Fixed Stars 93 Chapter 7: The Wanderers 105 Chapter 8: The Constellations 131 Chapter 9: Mapping the Skies 149 Part III: Star Hopping 165 Chapter 10: Northern Polar Constellations 167 Chapter 11: Stars of December, January and February 183 Chapter 12: Stars of March, April and May 211 Chapter 13: Stars of June, July and August 241 Chapter 14: Stars of September, October and November 271 Chapter 15: Southern Polar Constellations 293 Part IV: The Part of Tens 309 Chapter 16: Ten Targets for New Stargazers 311 Chapter 17: Ten Things to Look for under a Dark Sky 315 Index 321

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Book SynopsisFOREST ECOLOGY Authoritative resource covering traditional plant ecology topics and contemporary components such as climate change, invasive species, ecosystem services, and more Forest Ecology provides comprehensive coverage of the field, focusing on traditional plant ecology topics of tree structure and growth, regeneration, effects of light and temperature on tree physiology, forest communities, succession, and diversity. The work also reviews abiotic factors of light, temperature, physiography (landforms and topography), soil, and disturbance (especially fire), and provides coverage of ecosystem-level topics including carbon storage and balance, nutrient cycling, and forest ecosystem productivity. The 5th edition of Forest Ecology retains the readability and accessibility of the previous editions and includes important additional topical material that has surfaced in the field. All topics are approached with a landscape ecosystem Table of ContentsPreface xxiii PART 1 Forest Ecology and Landscape Ecosystems 1 Concepts of Forest Ecology 3 2 Landscape Ecosystems at Multiple Scales 15 PART 2 The Forest Tree 3 Forest Tree Variation 35 4 Regeneration Ecology 69 5 Tree Structure and Growth 95 PART 3 The Physical Environment 6 Light 123 7 Temperature 143 8 Physiography 167 9 Soil 195 10 Fire 219 11 Site Quality and Ecosystem Evaluation and Classification 237 PART 4 Forest Communities 12 Animals in Forest Ecosystems 269 13 Forest Communities 291 14 Diversity in Forests 327 PART 5 Forest Ecosystem Dynamics 15 Long-Term Forest Ecosystem and Vegetation Change 367 16 Disturbance 381 17 Forest Succession 413 18 Carbon Balance of Trees and Ecosystems 449 19 Nutrient Cycling 487 PART 6 Forests of the Future 20 Climate Change and Forest Ecosystems 537 21 Invasive Species in Forest Ecosystems 587 22 Forest Landscape Ecology 611 23 Sustainability of Forest Ecosystems 639 References 651 Scientific Names of Trees and Shrubs 731 Index 739

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface v 1. Some Deficiencies of Classical Physics 1 1.1 Review of Classical Physics 3 1.2 Deficiencies in Classical Concepts of Space and Time 11 1.3 Deficiencies in the Classical Theory of Particle Statistics 13 1.4 Theory, Experiment, Law 21 Questions 22 Problems 23 2. The Special Theory of Relativity 25 2.1 Classical Relativity 26 2.2 The Michelson–Morley Experiment 29 2.3 Einstein’s Postulates 31 2.4 Consequences of Einstein’s Postulates 32 2.5 The Lorentz Transformation 41 2.6 The Twin Paradox 46 2.7 Relativistic Dynamics 48 2.8 Conservation Laws in Relativistic Decays and Collisions 54 2.9 Experimental Tests of Special Relativity 58 Questions 65 Problems 66 3. The Particle-Like Properties of Electromagnetic Radiation 71 3.1 Review of Electromagnetic Waves 72 3.2 The Photoelectric Effect 77 3.3 Thermal Radiation 83 3.4 The Compton Effect 90 3.5 Other Photon Processes 93 3.6 Particles or Waves 96 Questions 99 Problems 100 4. The Wavelike Properties of Particles 105 4.1 De Broglie’s Hypothesis 106 4.2 Experimental Evidence for De Broglie Waves 108 4.3 Uncertainty Relationships for Classical Waves 115 4.4 Heisenberg Uncertainty Relationships 118 4.5 Wave Packets 124 4.6 The Motion of a Wave Packet 128 4.7 Probability and Randomness 131 Questions 133 Problems 134 5. The Schrödinger Equation 139 5.1 Behavior of a Wave at a Boundary 140 5.2 Confining a Particle 144 5.3 The Schrödinger Equation 146 5.4 Applications of the Schrödinger Equation 150 5.5 The Simple Harmonic Oscillator 162 5.6 Steps and Barriers 165 Questions 173 Problems 174 6. The Rutherford-Bohr Model of the Atom 177 6.1 Basic Properties of Atoms 178 6.2 Scattering Experiments and the Thomson Model 179 6.3 The Rutherford Nuclear Atom 182 6.4 Line Spectra 188 6.5 The Bohr Model 191 6.6 The Franck-Hertz Experiment 197 6.7 The Correspondence Principle 199 6.8 Deficiencies of the Bohr Model 201 Questions 203 Problems 203 7. The Hydrogen Atom in Wave Mechanics 207 7.1 A One-Dimensional Atom 208 7.2 Angular Momentum in the Hydrogen Atom 210 7.3 The Hydrogen Atom Wave Functions 213 7.4 Radial Probability Densities 218 7.5 Angular Probability Densities 220 7.6 Intrinsic Spin 222 7.7 Energy Levels and Spectroscopic Notation 227 7.8 The Zeeman Effect 228 7.9 Fine Structure 230 Questions 232 Problems 233 8. Many-Electron Atoms 237 8.1 The Pauli Exclusion Principle 238 8.2 Electronic States in Many-Electron Atoms 240 8.3 Outer Electrons: Screening and Optical Transitions 244 8.4 Properties of the Elements 248 8.5 Inner Electrons: Absorption Edges and X Rays 253 8.6 Addition of Angular Momenta 257 8.7 Lasers 261 Questions 265 Problems 266 9. Molecular Structure 269 9.1 The Hydrogen Molecule 270 9.2 Covalent Bonding in Molecules 274 9.3 Ionic Bonding 282 9.4 Molecular Vibrations 286 9.5 Molecular Rotations 290 9.6 Molecular Spectra 294 Questions 298 Problems 299 10. Statistical Physics 303 10.1 Statistical Analysis 304 10.2 Classical and Quantum Statistics 306 10.3 The Density of States 310 10.4 The Maxwell–Boltzmann Distribution 315 10.5 Quantum Statistics 321 10.6 Applications of Bose–Einstein Statistics 324 10.7 Applications of Fermi–Dirac Statistics 330 Questions 336 Problems 337 11. Solid-State Physics 341 11.1 Crystal Structures 342 11.2 The Heat Capacity of Solids 350 11.3 Electrons in Metals 354 11.4 Band Theory of Solids 358 11.5 Superconductivity 364 11.6 Intrinsic and Impurity Semiconductors 369 11.7 Semiconductor Devices 372 11.8 Magnetic Materials 376 Questions 383 Problems 384 12. Nuclear Structure and Radioactivity 389 12.1 Nuclear Constituents 390 12.2 Nuclear Sizes and Shapes 392 12.3 Nuclear Masses and Binding Energies 394 12.4 The Nuclear Force 399 12.5 Quantum States in Nuclei 401 12.6 Radioactive Decay 403 12.7 Alpha Decay 407 12.8 Beta Decay 410 12.9 Gamma Decay and Nuclear Excited States 414 12.10 Natural Radioactivity 418 Questions 421 Problems 423 13. Nuclear Reactions and Applications 427 13.1 Types of Nuclear Reactions 428 13.2 Radioisotope Production in Nuclear Reactions 432 13.3 Low-Energy Reaction Kinematics 434 13.4 Fission 437 13.5 Fusion 443 13.6 Nucleosynthesis 450 13.7 Applications of Nuclear Physics 453 Questions 459 Problems 459 14. Elementary Particles 463 14.1 The Four Basic Forces 464 14.2 Classifying Particles 466 14.3 Conservation Laws 471 14.4 Particle Interactions and Decays 475 14.5 Energy and Momentum in Particle Decays 481 14.6 Energy and Momentum in Particle Reactions 483 14.7 The Quark Structure of Mesons and Baryons 487 14.8 The Standard Model 494 Questions 499 Problems 499 15. Cosmology: The Origin and Fate of the Universe 503 15.1 The Expansion of the Universe 504 15.2 The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation 508 15.3 Dark Matter 510 15.4 The General Theory of Relativity 512 15.5 Tests of General Relativity 519 15.6 Stellar Evolution and Black Holes 523 15.7 Cosmology and General Relativity 528 15.8 The Big Bang Cosmology 530 15.9 The Formation of Nuclei and Atoms 533 15.10 Experimental Cosmology 536 Questions 541 Problems 542 Appendix A: Constants and Conversion Factors 545 Appendix B: Complex Numbers 547 Appendix C: Periodic Table of the Elements 549 Appendix D: Table of Atomic Masses 551 Appendix E: Some Milestones in the History of Modern Physics 561 Answers to Odd-Numbered Problems 565 Index 569 Index to Tables 577

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents 1: A Brief History 2: Wave Motion 3: Electromagnetic Theory, Photons, and Light 4: The Propagation of Light 5: Geometrical Optics 6: More on Geometrical Optics 7: The Superposition of Waves 8: Polarization 9: Interference 10: Diffraction 11: Fourier Optics 12: Basics of Coherence Theory 13: Modern Optics: Lasers and Other Topics

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Book SynopsisA gripping account of the city-killer asteroids that could threaten Earth and the race to build a planetary defense system

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Book SynopsisProviding complete, step-by-step coverage of the 2008 Edexcel GCE Biology specification, this is the official Student Book for the concept-led approach to the specification. Written by experienced examiners, it offers students motivating and relevant content to improve exam performance and ensure students fulfil their full potential. Allows for regular testing and exam preparation with real Edexcel past questions, provided in the Examzone' sections. Supports independent learning through a range of additional resources provided on the ActiveBook CD-ROM, included FREE in the back of each book. Helps students build a wide range of skills, including data analysis, critical evaluation of information, communication and collaborative work. Gives students an in-depth, scientific understanding of the principles covered in each topic, including How Scienc

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Book Synopsis A true-life scientific adventure story, this thrilling book takes the reader deep into South African caves to discover fossil remains that compel a monumental reframing of the human family tree.In the summer of 2022, Lee Berger lost 50 pounds in order to wriggle though impossibly small openings in the Rising Star cave complex in South Africa—spaces where his team has been unearthing the remains of Homo naledi, a proto-human likely to have coexisted with Homo sapiens some 250,000 years ago. The lead researcher on the site, still Berger had never made his way into the dark, cramped, dangerous underground spaces where many of the naledi fossils had been found. Now he was ready to do so. Once inside the cave, Berger made shocking new discoveries that expand our understanding of this early hominid—discoveries that stand to alter our fundamental understanding of what makes us human. So what does it all mean?Join B

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Robin, The Wren and The Twelve Birds of Christmas. With around 700,000 breeding pairs, the swallow is one of the most familiar birds in Britain. Though we consider the swallow to be 'our' bird, we also share this beloved creature with millions of others across the globe. Whilst we see it on a daily basis for half the year, the swallow then flies south to Africa, living on only in our memory in the long, dark winter.In The Swallow Stephen Moss documents a year of observing the swallow close to home and in the field to shed light on the secret life of this extraordinary bird. We trace the swallow's life cycle and journey, including the epic 12,000-mile round trip it takes every year, to enable it to enjoy a life of almost eternal sunshine, and the key part the swallow plays in our traditional and popular culture.With beautiful illustrations throughout, this captivating year-in-the-life biography reveals the hidden secrets of this charismatic and beautiful bird.PRAISE FOR STEPHEN MOSS: 'A superb naturalist and writer' Chris Packham'Inspired, friendly and blessed with apparently limitless knowledge' Peter Marren'Moss has carved out an enviable niche as a chronicler of the natural world' Daily MailTrade ReviewA delight * Choice *

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Book Synopsis'An enthralling read' - Dr Rachel Clarke, bestselling author of Dear LifeA Royal Society Science Prize shortlisted author'A remarkable book' - Sunday Times__________What is phantom limb pain? Can words actually hurt? Why do we experience pain, even after we've healed?We know pain when we feel it. We fear it and try to avoid it. But do we know what it really is? We're currently experiencing a Renaissance in pain science. In recent years our understanding of pain has altered so radically it's fair to say that everything we thought we knew about pain is wrong. As Dr Monty Lyman reveals, we misunderstand pain - with harmful consequences.Exploring cutting-edge research that encompasses everything from phantom aches to persistent pain, as well as interviews with survivors of torture and those who have never felt pain, Dr Lyman not only provides hope for reducing and managing pain but takes us to a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.This is the untold story of pain - our most elusive feeling.'Accessible and well-written... Dr Lyman takes us into the world of pain' Mail on Sunday__________Praise for Monty Lyman and The Remarkable Life of the Skin - 'Seriously entertaining' The Times- 'A talented new writer' Sunday Times - 'Beautifully written, revealing and surprising' Daily Mail- 'Imaginatively told' The Spectator- 'An absorbing, fact-packed study' Nature- 'What a read it is' Vogue- 'Fascinating' Daily ExpressTrade ReviewA remarkable book that explores the boundaries and the meaning of pain - and how conventional understanding and treatment are failing us. * Sunday Times *An accessible and well-written book... [Dr Lyman] takes us into the world of pain: its weirdness, its growing pervasiveness and how it's been misunderstood for centuries. * Mail on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK*Chosen as a Book of the Year by the Financial Times, Sunday Times, Daily Mail, Prospect, Guardian and The Times*This is the story of a race - not against other vaccines or other scientists, but against a deadly and devastating virus.On 1 January 2020, Sarah Gilbert, Professor of Vaccinology at Oxford University, read an article about four people in China with a strange pneumonia. Within two weeks, she and her team had designed a vaccine against a pathogen that no one had ever seen before. Less than 12 months later, vaccination was rolled out across the world to save millions of lives from Covid-19.In Vaxxers, we hear directly from Professor Gilbert and her colleague Dr Catherine Green as they reveal the inside story of making the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine and the cutting-edge science and sheer hard work behind it. This is their story of fighting a pandemic as ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Sarah and Cath share the heart-stopping moments in the eye of the storm; they separate fact from fiction; they explain how they made a highly effective vaccine in record time with the eyes of the world watching; and they give us hope for the future.Vaxxers invites us into the lab to find out how science will save us from this pandemic, and how we can prepare for the inevitable next one.Trade ReviewThis book is a profound success. I have read few that have given me such an immediate, eye-level view of working science - of brilliant, committed, heroic science. * Sunday Times *What an enthralling tale of toil, tenacity and triumph this is. The authors' intelligence, idealism and sheer, bloody-minded grit shine through. The world needs all the Sarah Gilberts and Catherine Greens it can get. Just brilliant. -- Rachel ClarkeMoving and awe-inspiring... The story of the decade * Mail on Sunday *Excellent and readable ... Vaccine production has never been explained more clearly... Green writes movingly about the difficult intersection between work and home life... Vaxxers is so good that the book will be read for long after the pandemic is over, as a vivid account of research in action and the way individuals respond in the face of a scientific emergency. * Financial Times *Vaxxers can be read as much as a manifesto for the importance of good science communication and an antidote to anti-vax conspiracy theories as a biomedical thriller. * Observer *Urgent and fascinating ... A tale of hard work and victory against steep odds, a unique insight into vaccines generally ... A gripping yarn ... I especially loved the book's personal moments ... I dare anyone to read this and not come away impressed. * Guardian *A most accessible read... A personal story of one of the most epic moments in human history, perfectly capturing how scientific discovery on this scale is rarely a Eureka moment for a lone genius. As a grateful recipient of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, I take my hat off in thanks to these remarkable women. * Irish Times *This is one of the most epic and pioneering moments in human history, comparable to the race to put a man on the moon, the discovery of DNA, or the first ascent of Everest. The Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine is a triumph and its creators are life savers. Science is the exit strategy, as long as we make that science equitably available to the world - as all the incredible people behind the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine always intended - truly the "People's Vaccine". -- Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome TrustAn extraordinary story with a remarkable beginning and an astonishing denouement * Observer *One of the most extraordinary stories in the history of medicine -- Matt D'Ancona[Sarah Gilbert] has been the adult in the room and the accidental leadership figure the moment demands, embodying the competence, command of the detail, vision and, crucially, hope, that people have needed to see. * New Statesman *

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Book Synopsis'If you feel you are in a black hole, don't give up. There's a way out'What is inside a black hole?Is time travel possible?Throughout his extraordinary career, Stephen Hawking expanded our understanding of the universe and unravelled some of its greatest mysteries. In What Is Inside a Black Hole? Hawking takes us on a journey to the outer reaches of our imaginations, exploring the science of time travel and black holes.'The best most mind-bending sort of physics' The TimesBrief Answers, Big Questions: this stunning paperback series offers electrifying essays from one of the greatest minds of our age, taken from the original text of the No. 1 bestselling Brief Answers to the Big Questions.

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Book SynopsisIt’s never been this urgent to build employee relationships that spark higher brain thinking and the skills to connect with people to encourage their highest performance. In other words, it’s vital to engage team members’ upper brains, which control critical reasoning, judgment, and creativity. When that positive connection is lacking, leaders risk provoking team members’ lower brains—which govern fear and survival behaviors—and creating a toxic workplace. Research shows that a leader’s behavior is the most important predictor of a team’s success. Leading with Your Upper Brain helps you understand why. It provides an innovative framework to shift your behavior in ways that help employees tap into their upper-brain resources that drive higher levels of performance. The authors use cutting-edge neuroscience research to illustrate how a positive connection with their leader builds trust and affects team members’ brain function that leads to overall team success. They share a modern, science-based approach to performance management and leadership development that fits any organization. Each chapter offers key takeaways, tips, and questions to help you put the principles into practice.

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Book SynopsisThis clear, concise Complete Revision & Practice book from CGP is a perfect way to prepare for the Edexcel A-Level Physics exams - it covers every topic from both years of the course. It''s packed with straightforward explanations, helpful examples and full-colour diagrams throughout. Practice questions and exam-style questions (with answers) are included for every topic, and the book is rounded off with a section of in-depth advice on Practical Skills. And finally, a free Online Edition of the whole book is included - just use the code printed inside the book to access it on your PC, Mac or tablet!

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Book SynopsisA ground-breaking look at gender and sex from the world's leading primatologist and New York Times bestselling author of Are We Smart Enough To Know How Smart Animals Are? 'Brilliant and fascinating... brings a scientific, compassionate and balanced approach to some of the hottest controversies about sex and gender' Yuval Noah Harari, author of Sapiens, Homo Deus and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century How different are the sexes? Is gender uniquely human? Where does gender identity originate? Drawing on decades of observing our closest living relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos, world-renowned primatologist Frans de Waal explores what we know of biological sex differences and of the role of culture and socialization. From maternal and paternal behaviour to sexual orientation, gender identity, and the limitations of the gender binary, de Waal analyses our shared evolutionary history with the apes, considering what is similar and what sets us apart. Male and female networking groups, sexual signals, the existence of gender non-conforming individuals, and maternal bonds are observed in primate societies, but humans stand apart in the development of nuclear families, the prevalence of sexual violence, and joint parental care. With expert insight and engaging storytelling, de Waal not only sets right gendered biases in the scientific community, but delivers a fresh and thought-provoking understanding of the behavioural norms and the many remarkable potentials of the human species. 'A breath of fresh air...Fascinating, nuanced and very timely' Rutger Bregman, author of Humankind and Utopia for RealistsTrade ReviewA brilliant and fascinating book that brings a scientific, compassionate and balanced approach to some of the hottest controversies about sex and gender -- Yuval Noah HarariEvery new book by Frans de Waal is a cause for excitement, and this one is no different. A breath of fresh air in the cramped debate about the differences between men and women. Fascinating, nuanced and very timely. -- Rutger Bregman, author of HumankindSuperb... These pages are packed with great stories, fascinating data, and thought-provoking ideas. They are sure to spark the important conversations we all-male and female, queer and straight, trans and nonbinary-need to have to create a more just and equitable human society -- Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an OctopusIf you don't know your bonobo from your gibbon, Different has many surprises in store for you, surprises that will leave you humble about complex primate evolution has been, and how much we have yet to learn about how it shapes our lives * New York Times *This enlightened book looks at the emergent arguments in gender studies. Moving with fluidity and grace between animal and human models, Frans de Waal demonstrates how many common social prejudices that we deem "natural" are in fact anything but. His crisp writing, his skillful deployment of anecdote, and his deep knowledge of animal science inform this nuanced and profound consideration not only of difference, but also of sameness -- Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree and The Noonday DemonFrans de Waal's DIFFERENT brings a refreshingly calm biological perspective to the current debate around human gender differences. -- Desmond Morris, author of The Naked ApeWith great clarity, insight, and wit, [de Waal] examines human sex differences, never once letting us forget that, at the end of the day, we are just another kind of primate. This is a superb, intensely stimulating read -- Robert M. Sapolsky, author of Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst[De Waal uses] a gift for story-telling, a sincere respect for culture, along with intimate knowledge of longtime bonobo and chimpanzee associates, to deftly negotiate this treacherous terrain. Wise and humane -- Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, author of The Woman that Never EvolvedCourageous... Quietly progressive... Offer[s] fascinating insights -- Kathleen Stock * The Times *Frans de Waal's magnum opus... [He] remove[s] the blinkers, and [his] readers will never see the world the same way again * TLS *A testament to de Waal's profound and sensitive understanding of our nearest evolutionary relatives -- Angela Saini * Lancet Journal *Very interesting: de Waal's often highly personal encounters with chimps and bonobos are fascinating... he is equally good on the blind spots of science and psychology * Tablet *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY INSIGHT INVESTMENT SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2019.'An accessible primer on all things quantum' - Sunday TimesQuantum physics is strange. It tells us that a particle can be in two places at once. Indeed, that particle is also a wave, and everything in the quantum world can be described entirely in terms of waves, or entirely in terms of particles, whichever you prefer. All of this was clear by the end of the 1920s. But to the great distress of many physicists, let alone ordinary mortals, nobody has ever been able to come up with a common sense explanation of what is going on. Physicists have sought 'quanta of solace' in a variety of more or less convincing interpretations. Popular science master John Gribbin takes us on a delightfully mind-bending tour through the 'big six', from the Copenhagen interpretation via the pilot wave and many worlds approaches. All of them are crazy, and some are more crazy than others, but in this world crazy does not necessarily mean wrong, and being more crazy does not necessarily mean more wrong.Trade Review[A]n accessible primer on all things quantum ... rigorous and chatty. * Sunday Times *Quantum physics is strange. These are the first words of John Gribbin's brilliant new book Six Impossible Things ... [a] pocket-sized analysis of the six most important interpretations of quantum mechanics. * Engineering & Technology *Gribbin has inspired generations with his popular science writing, and this, his latest offering, is a compact and delightful summary of the main contenders for a true interpretation of quantum mechanics. It seems that after 35 years - since he first published his classic, In Search of Schrödinger's Cat - we are still looking. If you've never puzzled over what our most successful scientific theory means, or even if you have and want to know what the latest thinking is, this new book will bring you up to speed faster than a collapsing wave function. -- Jim Al-KhaliliGribbin gives us a feast of precision and clarity, with a phenomenal amount of information for such a compact space. It's a TARDIS of popular science books, and I loved it. ... Gribbin manages to encapsulate what are sometimes very complex ideas in an approachable fashion. This could well be the best piece of writing this grand master of British popular science has ever produced, condensing as it does many years of pondering the nature of quantum physics into a compact form. -- Brian Clegg, popularscience.co.ukElegant and accessible ... Highly recommended for students of the sciences and fans of science fiction, as well as for anyone who is curious to understand the strange world of quantum physics. * Forbes *

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